lathe books.

[Gareth JohnstonParticipant @garethjohnston62587]

Can anyone recommend to me a few books for a newbie to lathe work , perhaps covering the basics up to everything. I've sourced a lathe now so wanted some extra reading to help me along the way.

Thanks Gareth

[Gareth JohnstonParticipant @garethjohnston62587]

lathe books , extra learning.

[IanTParticipant @iant]

To start with Gareth – "The Amateurs Lathe" by Sparey – and later on (once a bit more experienced) "The Model Engineers workshop Manual" by Geo Thomas.

If you only have these two books – you will not go too far wrong.

Regards,

IanT

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

As a novice I found Len Mason's Using the Small Lathe to be the best of the various introductions to lathe work.

Rod

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Workshop practise series # 34 lathework a complete course by Harold Hall is another good book.

I can attest that the book that Roderick has mentioned to be one of the best around and you should be able to get a copy off Ebay dirt cheap.

Also have a look at anything written by Stan Bray ,he also wrote a few of the workshop practise series of books .

[Roger Provins 2Participant @rogerprovins2]

I too recommend the Workshop Practise books. I've ended up acquiring the entire series and they've given me the confidence, if not yet the competence, to tackle most lathe and metal work.

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

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I like books. I like to own and hold a nice book.! But there are some very good tutorials on youtube for lathe work.

Nick

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

As somebody who did his engineering apprenticeship 42 years ago I still find that the Workshop practice series a good set of books as it reminds me about what I was taught or puts forward new idea's to try.

Martin P

[Gareth JohnstonParticipant @garethjohnston62587]

Thanks guys , I watch plenty of YouTube videos but sometimes reading a book you take more in. Ill take your suggestions and look online. Many thanks Gareth

[Johnboy25Participant @johnboy25]

I like the book by Westbury – The metal Turning Lathe. I bought a copy when I started work with the money I earned. Still use it as a reference book. Also the Sparey book The Amature Lathe like Ian mentioned.

John

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

A word of warning

I purchased Model Engineers Handbook by Tubal Cain 3rd edition 2011 re-print some 3 yrs ago only ever flipped through it. Last night I dragged it off the shelf to do some ground work on electrics which is section 12 of the book. No section 12 not even section 11 or 13 I thought I was going bonkers as all I kept seeing was section 8, 9 & 10 yep they had bound the book with double those sections left out 11, 12 & 13.

Waiting to hear from the supplier here in Victoria.

[geoff walker 1Participant @geoffwalker1]

Hi Gareth,

I think we all have our favourite book, often I feel influenced by the type of lathe we own.

I have two M types, a Drummond and a Myford.

The amateurs workshop by Ian Bradley has many references to my machines and is therefore the book I have found most useful.

Having said that even if you have another type of lathe this is an excellent book and for me a serious challenger to Spareys Amateurs lathe.

best regards geoff

[Steve WithnellParticipant @stevewithnell34426]

I have to mention Harold Hall's book on Lathework. It's easy to follow and it's a modern book.

[Gareth JohnstonParticipant @garethjohnston62587]

Have managed to order spareys amateur lathe. Will get a few more when I get into reading this first book. Many thanks again. Gareth.

[Jesse Hancock 1Participant @jessehancock1]

It's a given that any book on the subject (if read) will be better than none. (except those with missing chapters) Pet hate of mine is buying over the internet.

Regarding utube, you can rerun parts (stop move back on the feed bar thingy) if you didn't quite grasp it the first time as often as you want.

I joined this site which I think is and has the best blend of features and help around with one exception and that's the search engine not very good in my view. Some of the guys on here have an encyclopedic knowledge of engineering and all attached areas.

I like Tee Publishing series of books there's one on most of the subjects a hobbyist engineer might encounter.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Raymond Sanderson 2 on 20/04/2015 03:31:21:

A word of warning

I purchased Model Engineers Handbook by Tubal Cain 3rd edition 2011 re-print some 3 yrs ago only ever flipped through it. Last night I dragged it off the shelf to do some ground work on electrics which is section 12 of the book. No section 12 not even section 11 or 13 I thought I was going bonkers as all I kept seeing was section 8, 9 & 10 yep they had bound the book with double those sections left out 11, 12 & 13.

Waiting to hear from the supplier here in Victoria.

Haha, good luck with that. I bought a copy of the same book via the net from UK and it had exactly the same problem. Seller's solution was to send me another copy — which was exactly the same. I asked if they could check one before sending to me but they said the books come from someplace else and they only sell them, they don't warehouse them!

Back to the OP, Sparey's "The Amateur's Lathe" is my favourite how to book. Good choice there. His section on grinding your own HSS toolbits is particularly good.

Another classic that has not been mentioned is Southbend's "How to Run a Lathe". Still available I believe.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Hopper on 25/04/2015 09:52:24:

 

Another classic that has not been mentioned is Southbend's "How to Run a Lathe". Still available I believe.

.

Available as a free pdf download

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 25/04/2015 14:22:47

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 25/04/2015 14:21:32:

Posted by Hopper on 25/04/2015 09:52:24:

Another classic that has not been mentioned is Southbend's "How to Run a Lathe". Still available I believe.

.

Available as a free pdf download

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 25/04/2015 14:22:47

Great pdf link Michael….a pleasant surprise that it was translated into Chinese in those days!

Thanks, Ketan.

[michael coleParticipant @michaelcole91146]

If i could only have two workshop books they would both be Model Engineers Handbook by Tubal Cain. One dirty copy for the workshop and a clean one for the house. I still turn to this book every time I have to make something.

The workshop practice books are very hit or miss, some are very old now and totaly out of date..

Geo Thomas books are read in the house, but i have used very little of his designs. Perheps when i retire.

Mike

[LambtonParticipant @lambton]

An excellent little book is Machine-shop Handbook vol. 1 Lathe Work. This dates from WW2 and was originally produced by Saunders-Roe Ltd in order to help inexperienced labour entering their workshops under wartime conditions. The book was considered to be so good that Saunders-Roe generously allowed other firms involved in war work to re-issue it under their own name. My copy was published by Vauxhall Motors Luton.

It has 129 pages with hundreds of very clear drawings of set-ups and processes and is still very relevant to today's home workshop practice if no longer representative of commercial practice.

Copies appear on eBay from time to time but tend to make high prices.

[Author]

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